Horncastle Town councillor looks back at 44 years of service

Liberal Democrat ​Councillor Fiona Martin MBE has received a Long Service award from the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils to celebrate her impressive achievement of serving as a Town Councillor for Horncastle for the past 44 years.

Fiona was first inspired to become a councillor following encouragement from her next-door neighbour at the time, Walter Holmes, and fellow councillor Joyce Clench who said they needed some younger members on the town council.

She was elected to the council on July 12, 1979 at the age of 24, which at the time, she said she had committed the three cardinal sins – being female, under 40, and a Liberal!

“I remember my first ever meeting, one of the older gentlemen turned to me and said “Now dear, just sit and listen for the first six months” – I think I managed one meeting sitting there quietly, as I said I wasn’t elected to be a councillor just to sit and listen!”

During her 44 years on the council, she has served as Deputy Mayor six times and been Mayor on nine occasions – the most recent was 2021-2022 – and also had two of her four children while being a serving councillor.

Fiona said that being a part of the flood scheme which was launched following the devastating floods that hit Horncastle in 1981 was one of her proudest achievements.

"We set up a fundraising campaign to help the victims of the floods and at the time, there’s wasn’t the technology we have now and didn’t know as much about floods, and it was after that I got involved to plans to implement a flood scheme for Horncastle.

"They let me cut the ribbon when it was launched and that was such a proud moment.”

Fiona was awarded an MBE in 2011 for services to the community in Lincolnshire.

Coun Martin has also served as an East Lindsey District councillor for the past 36 years, with two terms as a County Councillor from 1993 to 2001.

She said being a part of the town’s celebrations for the landmark moments in history has also been a proud moment for her, including the town’s millennium celebrations in 1999, the Royal Jubilees, and most recently the Coronation, and said she is looking forward to the town’s Horse Fair anniversary later this month.

Fiona has become something of a trailblazer as she is the first member of her family to become a councillor, and now her son James is also a serving town councillor and her daughter and son-in-law are also parish councillors in Tunby Woodside.

A spokesman for Horncastle Town Council said: “During her time as a councillor she has worked tirelessly to improve Horncastle and assist residents whenever she can; and long may this continue!

"We are sure she can make it to 50 years, although Fiona keeps saying that this is her last term….. we’ll see, as Horncastle Town Council wouldn’t be the same without her!”

Fiona has indeed said that this four-year term on the council will be her last, but whether she has a change of heart remains to be seen.